The Sri Lankan Government has declared a nationwide State of Emergency for 10 days as a result of tensions between Sinhalese and Muslim communities.
The unrest has seen arson attacks and riots playing out in central Kandy this week.
According to The Guardian, the violence in Kandy began when a group of Muslim men were accused of killing a man belonging to the majority Sinhala Buddhist community.
Soldiers and police have now enforced a curfew in Kandy after mobs set fire to shops and a mosque, leading to the death of a Muslim man.
Security services have now been given power to deal with ‘criminal elements’ and restore the peace.